By language

The benefits and challenges of promotional codes in food and beverage manufacturing

By Louise Adcock

July 21, 2015

General

Beverage

Food

Author

Global Sector Manager - Food

Louise Adcock is the Global Sector Manager for Food Solutions at Domino. Joining in 2007 Louise managed three regional patches over a six year period before moving into a national role, leading the UK’s National Account program for a further three years. Louise, with a high level of technical competence, is now responsible for global growth alongside development of solutions within the food sector. Having direct experience within the field and working alongside major MNC’s this provides her with extensive knowledge of customer needs. Louise is also well versed in negotiating partnership agreements which support collaboration developments and setting foundations for positive long term customer relationships.

What is a promotional code?

Promotional codes can take many forms. They might be a QR code that directs customers to a specific website. Or they could take the form of an alphanumeric code - unique to each pack - that allows customers to win prizes. They are applied onto product packaging - either primary or secondary - and are easy to identify.

Why use promotional codes?

Stand out

The food and beverage industries are fiercely competitive. Promotional codes help your brand to stand out on the shelf and entice customers to purchase your product. They are a highly effective way of engaging customers with innovative marketing campaigns and can act as the bridge between physical marketing and online strategies. Why snack manufacturers need to print smart

Engage customers

Marketing is about engaging your customers. And promotional codes give you a great vehicle for encouraging customers to take action. Whether you are inviting consumers to design their own packaging or offering them the chance to win prizes, it all helps to make your brand more memorable.

Build brand loyalty

When you engage your customers, you encourage brand loyalty. Run a campaign that captures an email address and you have a fantastic opportunity to make the relationship between you and your consumer even stronger.

Capture data

Promotional codes - particularly those that lead to competitions - also give you an opportunity to gather information about your customers, such as their age bracket, gender and location. All of which is invaluable when it comes to planning and executing future marketing campaigns.

How do you add promotional codes to snack packaging?

With the right choice of equipment.

It’s important not to underestimate the engineering challenge of adding promotional codes to packaging. They must be printed with 100% clarity – at speed – and must not conflict with essential traceability codes and best before information.

In the case of competition codes that are unique to each customer, you also need a system that is capable of generating hundreds of thousands - possibly millions - of different codes within a short space of time. Then there’s the matter of whether you print the promotional codes directly onto the packaging on the production line, or add the codes later in the production process.

The right decision depends on your industry, the type of promotion you want to run and your manufacturing processes. Find out more at domino-printing.com.